Request for Reimbursement of Condominium Review Fee and Owner's Title Insurance

A Federal employee claimed reimbursement for the cost of an owner's title insurance policy and a condominium review fee incurred in the purchase of a condominium incident to his permanent change of duty station. Reimbursement for the review fee was allowed since there was no clear custom as to whether the seller or purchaser pays the fee and the record did not show that payment was other than bona fide or that the amount paid exceeded the amount customarily paid in the local area. However, the owner's title insurance policy was regarded as a nonreimbursable personal expense incurred for his own protection and not legally necessary to consummate the real estate transaction. Accordingly, the claim was allowed in part and denied in part.